Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Neurodegenerative Disorders: Current Evidence in Support of Benefit from Sleep Apnea Treatment

Annie C Lajoie; Anne-Louise Lafontaine; R John Kimoff; Marta Kaminska

doi:10.3390/jcm9020297

Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Neurodegenerative Disorders: Current Evidence in Support of Benefit from Sleep Apnea Treatment

J Clin Med. 2020 Jan 21;9(2):297. doi: 10.3390/jcm9020297.

Authors

Annie C Lajoie¹, Anne-Louise Lafontaine², R John Kimoff^{1

3}, Marta Kaminska^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3S5, Canada.
² Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.
³ Respiratory Division & Sleep Laboratory, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent disorder characterized by recurrent upper airway obstruction during sleep resulting in intermittent hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation. Research has recently increasingly focused on the impact of OSA on the brain's structure and function, in particular as this relates to neurodegenerative diseases. This article reviews the links between OSA and neurodegenerative disease, focusing on Parkinson's disease, including proposed pathogenic mechanisms and current knowledge on the effects of treatment.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Parkinson’s disease; neurodegenerative diseases; obstructive sleep apnea.

Publication types

Review